Airplane



Sept. 20, 1932. H. w. GABBERT AIRPLANE 3 Sheets- Sheet Filed Jan. 15, 1931 Inven'f'or I Sept. 20, 1932.

H. w. GABBERT AIRPLANE Filed Jan. 15, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 20, 1932.

In v enToy:

Patented Sept. 20, 1932 v UNITED STATES HUGH w. GABLBERT, or :NORWOOD, OHIO .j

Application filed January 15, 1931." Serial No. 508,880. I

My invention relates to airplanes and particularly to the running gear or supporting wheels for a land plane and the objects of my invention are to increase the speed of the plane while in flight; to enable the operator or pilot to fold the wheels and their supports into the body of the plane or to swing them. out into operative position while in flight; to provide retractible wheels which are positively and rigidly held in either of their two positions; to make a light, strong and durable construction and other features to bepome apparent from the description to fol- In the successful operation of airplanes it is very desirable to attain all the speed pos- V sible with the available power; to simplify the operation of the plane as much as possible; and to have all the movable parts made as sturdy and rigid as possibleand yet have them light; and all these desirable features are attained by the use of my invention.

To describe my invention so that others versed in the art to which it pertains can make and use the same I have illustrated it on the accompanying three sheets of drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an airplane embodying my invention with the top removed for the purpose of better illustration; Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same viewed from the front and Fig. 3 isa longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Similar reference figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In each of the illustrations the wheels are shown in their down or. operative position in full lines and in their up orinoperative position in dotted lines. The body 1, of the plane can be of any desired construction embodying the necessary longitudinal beams, uprights and cross braces. The wheels 2 are mounted on the vertex of a triangular frame 3 which has the upper end of its front arm pivotally secured to the body 1 at 4, and the upper end of its rear arm pivotally secured to the body 1 at 5. The pivots 4' and 5 are in axial alignment so that the wheel2 can swing towards and away from the lower part of the body 1, as clearly seen in Fig. 2. A short vertical shaft 6 is rotatably mounted in a suit- .in their up position.

able bearing centrally disposed in the lower lower end of shaft 6 is a bar .7 whose oppositely'extending ends are pivotally connected at 8 to one end of links 9. The other end of each link9 is pivotally connected to the frame 3- near the vertex where the wheel is mounted. The'total length of the bar 7 and both links 9 when placed end to end determine the distance between the wheels 2, and when the bar 7 is turned on the pivotalshaft 6 to a position to be nearly parallel to a central longitudinal line through the body 1, the wheels are underneath the body 1 and substanially in contact with one another, as clearly seen in Figs. 1 and'2, by dottedlines.

To turn the bar 7 from one position to the other a crank arm 10 made integral with shaft 6 is extendedfrom the upper end of said shaft and has its free end pivotally connected at 11 to one end of a link 12- whose other end is pivotally connected at 13 to the lower end of a bell crank lever 14: pivotally mounted to the body 1 at 15. The upper arinof bell crank lever 14 terminates in a'handle 16, which is conveniently located close to thedrivers seat. As clearly shown in the drawings, when the handle 16'is in its upposition the wheels 2 are in their up position; and when the handle 16 is in its down position the wheels are in their down position. A notched-segment 17 is provided adjacent the handle 16 to lockthe handle in either of its two positionsiby means of the spring'pressed catch 18.

As seen from the drawings and more particularly from Fig. 2, lll',Wlll be noted that when the wheels 2 are in their downposition they are considerably further apart than are the pivots-4 whichsupport the frames 3.

vThus the weight of the plane will tend to swing-the wheels 2 further apart, and that the bar 7 and the two links 9' are practically in a, straight line, making avery strong construction."

It will be understood that the lower side of the bodyl can'be covered with a false sheet metal bottom 19 to form stream lines and this sheet metal is provided with suitable 0penings 20 to permit the wheels 2 to enter when part of the body 1 and rigidly secured to the I desire to be understood not to limit myself to the exact construction shownand that thesize and arrangements of the parts may be changed without in the least departing '5} from the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described myinvention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent-of the United States is v 1. In a device of the class described, atri-j angular wheel carrying frame pivotally mounted to the machine frame, a wheel pivotally mounted on the frame at the lower vertex and means for swinging said wheel carrying frame on its pivots and locking the same in both its extreme positions compris ing a hand lever provided with a locking latch to lock the lever ineither-of its two positions, a stiff rigid linkconnecting the hand lever to the free end of a crank arm integral with a vertically extending rock shaft having its bearing in the machine body, a second integral crank arm on said rock shaft connected bya stiff rigid link to the lower vertex of the wheel carrying frame, a

2 pocket in the lower side of the machine body,

said parts being so connected and arranged that looking the hand 'leverin one position will hold the wheel in said pocket and lock ing the hand lever inits other position will 8 hold the wheel in its out position with the last named crank arm on the'rock shaft in a j straight line with its connected link.

2;In a device of the class described, triangular wheel carrying frames pivotally -niounted to opposite sides of the machine body, a wheel pivotally mounted on each "frame at the lower 1 vertex and means for swinging said wheel carrying frameson their pivotsand lockingthe same in either of their 1 1 two extremehpositions comprising a hand lever provided with a locking latch to lock the lever in either of its two positions, a stiff rigid'link connecting the hand lever to the free end of a crank arm integral with a verti- 4 cally extending rock shaft having its hearing I r in the machine body, a cross arm integral withsaid rock shaft having its free ends connected by stiff rigid links to the lower vertexes of the wheelfcarrying frames, pockets in the lower side of the machine body, said parts being so connected and arranged that 7' lockingthe handv lever in one position will hold'the wheels in-thei pockets and locking the hand lever in its other position-will hold the wheels in-their out positions with saidcross' arm in a straight line with said links connected to its free ends. 1

. Signed at Norwood, county of'Hamilton and State of Ohio this 13th day of January,

HUGH w. VGA'BBERT. 

